Annual Meeting & Party Celebrates a Big Year for Downtown Seattle

More than 600 people gathered on June 25 for the 2026 DSA/MID Annual Meeting & Party, presented by Alaska Airlines, at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center. The afternoon was part reflection and part celebration — a chance to recognize the people and partnerships shaping downtown, and to look ahead at what’s next.

DSA President & CEO Jon Scholes shared the organization’s accomplishments from the past year and priorities for the year ahead, and the room welcomed new DSA and MID board leadership. But two moments stood out above the rest.

The first: Graciela of the Clean Team was named this year’s Lee Townsend DSA/MID Ambassador of the Year, recognized for the dedication and warmth she brings to downtown every day. Her story is inspiring, and the standing ovation she received from the hundreds of attendees was well deserved.

The second: longtime downtown power broker Jack McCullough, president of McCullough Hill, received DSA’s City Maker of the Year award. Over a career spanning more than three decades, Jack has helped shape nearly every corner of downtown, from the Gates Foundation campus to the Seattle Great Wheel to the brand-new Elliott Bay Connections. He joined DSA’s board in 1990 and served as chair from 2012-14, and he was the architect of the 2015 “Grand Bargain,” the landmark agreement on affordable housing that ended two decades of gridlock between developers, housing advocates and the city. He also negotiated the central waterfront’s Local Improvement District agreement on behalf of downtown property owners.

Jon described Jack as a masterful coalition builder who can bring different interest groups together around a shared goal. Colleagues who spoke at the event echoed the sentiment, crediting Jack’s decades of behind-the-scenes work with helping build the downtown Seattle we see today.

The event also marked the release of DSA’s 2026 Annual Report video, a look back at the year’s key numbers and milestones.

The evening wrapped with a reception overlooking Elliott Bay, where ambassadors, DSA members and MID ratepayers connected over food, drinks and music. Congratulations to Lauren Young, director of planned & leadership giving at FareStart, who won the Alaska Airlines drawing for two round-trip tickets anywhere the airline flies.